Mauery & Combs – August 2013

Andy Mauery and Christopher Combs traded art and words. Andy shared this collection, entitled “desperate, disparate,” with Christopher:

In response, Christopher wrote this poem:

Picked Bones & Former Glory

Oh, how the cries sound like spilling-rice
pouring down such a bleached spine.
It would be so crude and impolite
to stain the structure that holds our hands.
The cartilage and joints can always be crushed,
providing a fine spice to smother sparks
that envy my joy – such ironed and steam-pressed joy.
By Sampson, I will follow his example,
and no such Delilah will come at me with sheers.
I will not be a portrait of rattling bones—
a disproportionate puzzle knocking my stumps together.
I now hold myself as one
with safety-pins and paperclips,
brand new and clean out of the plastic box.
Let it be flesh – a window display—
something to raise an eyebrow to as people walk by.
Nipped and ungroomed is my beauty.
Rather handsome I think.
Brush the unfocused dull away with a “clang”.
This smells so good I hope to one day donate it to heaven.
Just to make an angel jealous—
A fine agenda I shall not impede.
Let me validate my new-found confidence
and listen to all of the constraint boil over.

* * * * *

Christopher shared this poem with Andy:

Antarctic

From across the earth
jumping the lazy oceans,
her cheeks and lips still melt
the Antarctic ice that scratches
heaven’s belt.

She can whisper charms to me
that even the whales can hear.
They will carry and sing her song,
placing it on the loneliest of frozen ears.

I want her to rub her leg
against the exposed skin of mine.
We will camp under the eye of Polaris,
its gleam burning brighter than ever
because it is jealous.

Sounds of her tiptoes—
the hush of her rising breath—
the sway of a gown in the breeze
is too much for the continent’s shelf
to avoid and forget the sea. 

In response, Andy created this sculpture of gouache and horsehair on drywall entitled “sketch of love:  Polaris+jealousy=Coriolis effect” (click to enlarge):